Judge may review school settlement in Melody open records case in camera

A Bibb County Superior Court judge will consider reviewing a 2024 Bibb County School District settlement himself after a hearing between The Macon Melody and the district took place Wednesday.

Judge Ken Smith presided over the hearing, which was called in response to a motion for partial summary judgment made by The Melody, but both sides agreed to table the motion. The hearing came after the newsroom filed the lawsuit in August, calling on the court to compel the district to disclose information tied to open records requests made by Melody reporters.

Senior Accountability Reporter Laura Corley requested the dollar amount of a settlement approved by the school district at a meeting in July 2024. The district denied the request and others related to the details of the settlement, citing student privacy laws.

The Melody asserts that amounts in the settlement are public records subject to disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Act.

An in camera — or private — review by Smith would help the court determine which items in the settlement are not considered educational records.

An April 23 affidavit from the school district notes how the settlement contains “several dollar figures that are tied to specific aspects of the student’s education,” which Melody counsel Luke Andrews of Atlanta-based Stanton Law said implies other dollar amounts in the settlement are not considered educational records and therefore subject to public disclosure.

“The only thing that I am considering at this point giving a ruling on is whether or not to start an in camera process,” Smith said.

Andrews also mentioned the possibility of both parties stipulating to certain facts — such as whether it was reasonable for the district to believe The Melody knew the student’s identity — rather than spending additional time and money on further discovery.

The discovery period will end in July. No trial date has been set.